The Time We Got a Real Tree

It was magical Ya'll…

Mike and I have had a fake tree for as long as we have been together, but last year the $50 (maybe $20…it was a cheapo) fake tree fell apart and I was promised a new one.  

After some discussion we made the decision to go with a real tree this year.  

We wanted that experience for the girls, and honestly I think we were both as, if not more, excited than they were. (although if we are being totally honest, I don't think Ella cared one way or the other)  

Mike *says* he bought it for me, but I think we both know he wanted a real one more than I did. :-)

Because we recently moved I have accumulated a TON of those coupons you get sent every time you change your address.  So I sorted through them and found a few for local Christmas tree farms.

We picked one in Fort Collins that seemed nice, and headed over.

Ella decided to take a nap on the drive over,

 but she quickly perked up once the picking of "The Tree" started.

So I learned something new about myself.

 (or maybe I knew it all along but have been in denial?)

APPARENTLY, I am very picky about my Christmas trees. 

Okay, yeah, I knew….

After about an hour wandering around debating the fine points of: 

"This one is too fat and short"

"This one is waaaay too skinny"

"This one is nice, but the bottom is kind of bare"

"Oooo….this one smells nice, but Ouch! it's pokey"

We were finally intercepted by an employee who 

(I can only assume) 

noticed us wandering around in circles, took pity on us, and came to the rescue.  

(Thanks tree dude!  Mike tipped you!)  

After a few key questions on height and what we wanted he directed us to this beauty.  

Then I took pictures of my beauties in front of it. :-)

And then I made Mike buy us (me) a wreath, 

(because I'm spoiled, and he was being nice)

  a tree stand, and tree food (scam?  probably).

Waaaayyy too many dollars later we headed home.

We freed the tree from it's prison…

Ella helped... 

(no worries, I took a picture and then snagged the scissors away)

Then we decorated the tree,

 and Maddie had the honor of putting the star on the top.

(Please don't look at what Mike is standing on…it's not safe at all)

((we weren't on a very good safety roll that day))

And….

Voila!!!!!!!!

The prettiest, best smelling, 

not too fat, not too skinny, 

just the right height and pokiness…

TREE!!!!

FYI:  Almost all of the decorations on the lower half of the tree have slowly migrated to the top half thanks to one little girl (ELLA) and her inability to leave them alone….